Going green for new home

Dinamom · **Going green for new home**

We are building a new home and I am concerned about the VOCs from the glues and carpets. With an asthmatic and severely allergic child, I would like to know what the safe products we can use for our new home.

I will get the glues used from the builder to see what we will be combatting with, but the design center person said she does not know about the carpet emissions (hmm?).

We are also looking into solar panels and low water use fixtures.

Where can I get detailed information about all this?
Also, it might help newbee's like me to have a sticky with good web sites about green living.

Thanks

Denvergirlie · 10-03-2007, 12:46 PM

I don't know about a general website, but I am going to direct you to another forum website that might be a bit more "natural and green" than this site.

Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy this site very much, it's just that sometimes I like to be around other people that are a lot more "cruchier" than they are here.
However, I am not as "die hard" cruchy as many at that website, thus I visit this site as well.

(LINK EDITED BY LUVMYSOLDIER)

Then I would direct you that you start in the natural home & body subforum
(LINK EDITED BY LUVMYSOLDIER)

Carpet - I think most will say to go with wool or cotton, but if it's dyed there will still be off gassing.

best of luck to you in your search, it's very overwhelming, so go slow.

LuvMySoldier · 10-03-2007, 05:05 PM

I'm sorry Denvergirlie, I know you were just trying to be helpful to the OP in referring her elsewhere for information, but it is against policy to refer members to other forums similar to Mommy Savers.

You may, however, refer members to other websites for information, and I encourage you to do so.

Thanks for your understanding!!

Lisa...

mommytosa · 10-03-2007, 07:54 PM

This Old House did a "green" house for their last season ( Home Improvement and Remodeling: This Old House ). You might try their website. Also, I think there are some green shows on HGTV and DIY this year. You might do a search on them for the low emmisons. I know that carpet is available, I've seen shows that use it.

Another idea is a tankless hot water heater. We had one in our last house and we loved it! You will have to put another "service?" in your home because it runs on a bigger panel than normal appliances, but it is well worth the initial investment.

If your'e really wanting to go even more green and have the money up front, look into the geothermal HVAC. It requires a large amount of land, but I think that it pays for itself quickly. We wish we could have done that, but it was way out of our price range and our lot was too small.

LuvMySoldier · 10-04-2007, 01:04 AM

Here is a good website that explains what VOCs are, lists many things that are considered "toxic" in homes, and gives advice on what products are better than others (in terms of toxins) in the building of new homes. It also gives an interesting list of household items that one might not consider to be "toxic" right off the bat- Dry cleaned clothes, or glue used in the building of furniture, for example.

Here's what the site had to say about carpets:
Carpets: it is usually not the carpet fiber itself that off-gasses, but the backing, various additives (eg stain guard), and the padding under the carpet. Carpets off-gas so much they have a easily detectable odor which lasts for a number of years. Rugs that can be removed for cleaning are preferable to carpets, and if wall-to-wall is used, keep it out of high traffic areas and consider removing shoes before walking on it. Natural fiber carpets, such as wool have less VOCs, but some people are allergic to wool, and some wool carpets contain toxic mothproofing additives. Some synthetic fiber carpets (including recycled "pop bottle" ones) are naturally stain resistant and have little or no added chemicals, but (what backing and pad??)

When we build our house (someday...) I'm hoping to go with stone as far as flooring - or Mexican tile would be great - to avoid not only toxins from carpeting, but to avoid my having to vacuum!!

I'd just rather mop, but that's my preferance.

Hope you find some useful information here:
Toxics

cathleeninnh · 10-04-2007, 07:27 AM

We are building a green and healthy home now. I did a lot of online research. The resources are endless. I found that the best help was the experienced contractor/builder. The online information was great for research and ideas, but to settle on what we would actually do, the builder had the best local information and the experience with various technologies and products.

Trying to direct a non-green builder to use green and healthy methods is very risky.

No carpet in my home. Don't forget about your furniture. New furniture is as bad as carpet.

Good luck.

Cathleen

vioburn · 10-04-2007, 11:21 PM

Try googling "green builders" in your area. We have a resource book that is published and put out for free in local health stores and coffee places that is pretty much everything you would want to know about the green companies and builders in our area. They list the flooring retailers, painters and retailers, etc... If you are in the Colorado area, PM me and I'll give you the name of it.

mommytosa · 10-05-2007, 11:38 AM

I noticed at Lowes yesterday that the current issue of This Old House Magazine is all about building green.

Do real hardwoods count as green, or do the chemicals used to seal them not good? Also Bamboo is a good green choice isn't it? What is considered a good green choice for wood floors? We have decided that the next house will have no carpets! Too much dust!

cathleeninnh · 10-08-2007, 03:54 PM

Bamboo is green but they are finding that it doesn't wear well. There are green finishes/stains and such you can use on wood flooring. Any wood is greener than carpet and loads healthier. There is green "linoleum" type flooring, I believe Marmoleum is the brand.